


White Roses & Bumblebees

by arrynclaire



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Humor, Light Angst, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2020-04-12 02:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19123144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrynclaire/pseuds/arrynclaire
Summary: A collection a short stories involving the White Rose and Bumblebee ships.





	1. Sick Day

**Author's Note:**

> This collection of short stories was originally posted on FanFiction. I will continue to update it on both websites. I hope you enjoy!

The morning sun peeked through the drapes beside the pair of makeshift bunk beds sat on either side of Team RWBY's dorm. Feeling the warm light wash over her face, Weiss stirred from her rest, cracking her eyes open ever so slightly. She sat up slowly and stretched out her back, taking care to not hit the bed hanging precariously above her head, just one of many of her team leader's 'genius ideas.' She often ridiculed Ruby for her childish games and less-than-well-thought-out schemes, but her partner had burrowed a soft spot into this Schnee's heart since day one.

She groaned and let her arms fall back down to her sides, directing her attention over to the other set of beds across the room. From the lower bunk, Blake was already sliding her legs off the edge, her eyes still half-shut. Weiss' sleepy sounds caught the faunus' attention with a twitch of her cat ears, causing her to look up and meet the white-haired girl's eyes.

"Morning, Weiss," she breathed through a yawn and half-smile. She stepped down off of her bed and stretched toward the ceiling with a content sigh.

Weiss nodded and mumbled a slurred "Good morning," swinging her legs off the side of her bed and hopping down onto the floor. She made her way to the team's closet, rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes. Opening the door, she shot a glance back at Blake as she went through her 'morning routine.'

"Yang," she whispered, tapping the slumbering blonde resting in the bed above her own. "Come on, it's time to get ready for class."

A disgruntled moan responded, accompanied by the sound of Yang rolling over in her bed to greet her partner.

"Mooorning, Kitty…" she cooed dreamily. Blake gave her an exaggerated eyeroll and stepped up onto her tiptoes to meet Yang in a good morning kiss.

Weiss scoffed, eyeing the two with a fake pretentious smile and putting on her best air of annoyance.

"Could you please save that for when I'm _not_ in the room?" she teased.

"Morning to you, too, Princess," Yang shot back, drawing out her nickname for the heiress with a hearty giggle as she stepped down from her bed.

Weiss' eyes narrowed. She certainly enjoyed Yang's company, but her sappy exchanges with Blake never failed to make her shudder. She dropped the smirk with a soft laugh and turned back to the closet, scanning its contents for her school uniform. Blake appeared beside her and dug out her own uniform along with Yang's.

The thudding sound of Yang's footsteps came from behind Weiss as she made her way across the room to the bed suspended above Weiss' own. She let out a groan that was accompanied by a pop that made Weiss cringe, undeniably the sound of the brawler cracking her back.

"Ruuuby," she called out in a sing-song tone. "Time to wake up, sleepyhead!"

Her voice was met with Ruby's incoherent grumbling, drawing a giggle from Weiss as she turned her attention to the pair of sisters. Ruby sat up groggily, turning to face her older sister who sported her usual dazzling grin. She rubbed her eyes and slipped out of her bed with Yang's help, shivering as she left her blanket behind. A wave of concern washed over Yang's face.

"Hey, Ruby, are you okay?" she asked in her 'big sister voice.' "You look really pale."

Weiss felt her heart sink and she furrowed her brow. Ruby's face was unusually pallid, a rare sight when it came to the bubbly team leader. She rubbed her arms and looked up to meet her sister's gaze. She attempted a laid-back laugh that died on her lips and fell into a coughing fit. Weiss stepped over and placed her hand on Ruby's shoulder, her head buzzing with worry.

"Just…just a little cold," Ruby replied, her voice raspy and devoid of the usual sugary sweetness she exuded. A lump caught itself in Weiss' throat as Yang placed her hand on her little sister's forehead and shook her head.

"You're burning up, sis," she fretted. "Lay back down. You're not in any shape to be going to class right now."

Ruby whined in protest, looking over to Weiss for support. Her silver eyes wavered with uncertainty. Weiss bit her lower lip and swallowed the tension in her throat. She managed a small smile and gave Ruby's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'll hang back and keep you company," Yang continued. "So, please, get back into bed."

Weiss briefly focused her gaze on the blonde before turning back to Ruby. Her breathing was labored and she trembled under the heiress' hand. Pinpricks of anxiety stabbed at Weiss' chest. She certainly couldn't be left alone, and while Yang was plenty smart in her own right, she didn't have the luxury of missing any classes. Weiss exhaled and released Ruby's shoulder to place her hand on Yang's arm, receiving a curiously raised eyebrow.

"I'll stay with Ruby," she said. "You can't afford to miss any of your classes. As your teammate, I won't allow you to fall behind in your studies." She hoped that she didn't come off as condescending. An argument with Yang was the last thing she needed right now.

"What, you're going to skip class?" Yang laughed and brushed her hand aside. " _The_ Weiss Schnee is going to tarnish her perfect attendance record just to take care of my little sister?" She jabbed a finger into Weiss' shoulder.

The gesture sent a wave of irritation rumbling through Weiss' spine. Sure, she _did_ hold perfect attendance to all of her classes, which she was quite proud of, but that didn't matter when Ruby's wellbeing was at stake. She set her jaw and locked on to Yang's lilac eyes.

"Yes, I will," she huffed defiantly. "It is my job as Ruby's partner to be with her whenever she is in need."

The remark drew Blake's attention. She shot a glance over to Weiss and narrowed her amber eyes. Weiss swallowed the bundle of nerves creeping up her throat under her teammate's probing gaze.

"Weiss," Yang protested, running a hand through her tousled hair. "I can handle Ruby. She _is_ my sister, after all."

Weiss' eye involuntarily twitched in frustration and anger bubbled in her chest. It was a fair argument, but Ruby was _her_ partner. She promised to take care of her no matter what. Her fury quickly seeped away when a stray hand tugged at her own, drawing her attention back to the girl in question.

"Weiss, you don't have to…" the trembling brunette mumbled.

A frown tugged at Weiss' lips. She didn't _have to_ , but she _wanted to_. She breathed an irritated sigh.

"Why not?" she pressed. "I'm ahead in my work anyways, so I can afford to skip a class or two."

Yang opened her mouth to voice her objection but fell silent when Blake squeezed her shoulder. She turned to look at her dark-haired companion, only to be struck with a paralyzing smile.

"Come on, Yang," she purred, pressing the brawler's uniform into her hands. "Weiss is her partner. She can take care of Ruby."

"But—"

Blake pressed her forefinger to the blonde's lips with a playful wink. She leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Yang shot her an incredulous glance and a nervous laugh passed her lips.

"O-okay, okay," she sputtered, turning to address Weiss. "Just…keep an eye on her, got it?"

Weiss gave her a reassuring smile and nodded. Yang attempted a smile and brought Ruby into a close and careful embrace, ruffling her messy hair and prompting a giggle from her little sister.

"Get well soon, Rubes," she whispered, planting a kiss to the top of her head. She returned to Blake's side. The faunus nodded, seemingly happy with the turn of events. The pair hurriedly changed into their school attire. Weiss huffed and turned away while Ruby tried and failed to stifle a laugh.

"Get a room, you two," she grumbled, earning a chuckle from Yang.

"Already in one, aren't we?" she quipped. Weiss shot her a disapproving glare.

The two girls confirmed that they had everything they needed before heading out (including the prerequisite grooming of Yang's unruly mane). Nodding in approval, Blake took Yang's hand and guided her to the door.

"We'll see you two later, then," she said coolly, turning back to the pair staying behind. Her lips curled into a knowing smile before opening the door and disappearing into the hallway with her girlfriend in tow.

Weiss closed the door just behind them, contemplating Blake's little gesture and shaking her head. She turned her attention back to her current priority: Ruby.

The brunette shuffled her feet, playing with the hem of the tank top she always wore to bed. Her eyes darted up to Weiss', her lips pursed as if she had something to say. Weiss drifted over to her and placed a hand on her arm.

"Would you like me to get you anything?" she asked, her tone soft and sweet in a way that only Ruby could ever draw out of her.

Ruby ran a hand through her hair and let out a short laugh.

"Cookies?" she answered, the rasp in her throat and the grin spreading across her lips giving away the mischief in her tone.

"That isn't what I meant," Weiss remarked, rolling her eyes. "Do you need a drink? I can grab you some medicine from the bathroom, too." A smirk crept up on her lips as Ruby puffed out her cheeks. "Sugar isn't going to make you feel any better."

"You don't know that!" Ruby whined.

She pushed out her lower lip in the most _adorable_ pout she could muster, giving Weiss her signature pair of shining puppy-dog eyes. The heiress felt her heart do a little flip as she laughed and took Ruby's hands. She pulled the feisty brunette over to her own bed, setting her down on the lower bunk and leaning her back against the headboard.

"You need to rest and keep yourself hydrated," she said, wrapping a blanket around her quivering partner. "I'll go get you a glass of water."

Weiss made her way over to the team's kitchenette that awaited just beyond Blake and Yang's desks. She opened the cabinet above the sink and pulled out a small glass cup, holding it under the faucet and filling it with some cool tap water. Giving a pleased hum, she turned and walked back over to her sickly friend. As she approached, she noticed Ruby's silver eyes tracking the glass greedily. She offered it to her with a giggle. Ruby snatched the glass from her hands and brought it to her lips, draining half of it in a few big gulps before lowering the cup. She winced and rubbed her throat gingerly.

"It hurts to swallow," she whimpered.

Concern tugged at Weiss' heart. She placed the palm of her hand on Ruby's forehead.

"You're awfully warm," she said, slipping her hand down to pat Ruby's shoulder. "Let me see what I can find."

Weiss strode over to the bathroom on the other side of the room. Once inside, she opened the cabinet opposite of the sink and scanned its shelves. She had just gone out and restocked the bathroom with Blake a week ago, so they should have something for Ruby to take. Spotting a thermometer and a box of pain and fever reducing medicine, she grabbed both of them and brought them out to Ruby. She popped the cap off of the thermometer and placed it on the bookshelf to her right.

"I need to take your temperature, Ruby." She waved the thermometer in her hand.

The brunette grumbled and opened her mouth with a little "ahh." Hesitantly, Weiss placed the thermometer in Ruby's mouth, their proximity and the unshifting gaze watching her causing her heart to pound in her ears.

After a few tortuous seconds, the device beeped. Weiss retrieved it and breathed deeply to regain her composure, reading off the number on the little screen.

"One hundred and one point six," she read aloud. "Okay, then. I brought some medicine that should help with your fever." She set the thermometer on the bookshelf and retrieved a tablet from the medicine's box, handing it to Ruby who looked at it in disgust.

"I hate medicine…" she groaned. She gave Weiss a pleading look which was returned with a nod. She sighed and popped it into her mouth, flushing it down with another gulp of water. Weiss stifled a giggle as Ruby made another face of discomfort.

"That should make you feel a little better," Weiss said with a smile, accepting the glass from Ruby and placing it on the bookshelf. She bent over and rested her hands on her knees, locking eyes with her team leader. "Would you like me to get you anything else, Ruby?"

Ruby fidgeted under the covers and furrowed her brow.

"Still kinda want that cookie," she muttered.

An amused smile rose to Weiss' lips and she shook her head in disbelief. Even when down for the count, Ruby still managed to harbor that insatiable sweet tooth of hers.

"I'll buy you as many cookies as you want _after_ you get better," she promised.

Ruby's face lit up, some of her bubbly energy rushing to the surface of her twinkling eyes.

"Really?" she squeaked. Weiss nodded, at which she let out a giddy giggle before turning her head and falling into another coughing fit.

A pang of sadness throbbed in Weiss' chest as Ruby recovered from her wheezing and wiped away tears from her eyes. She couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain. She placed a hand on her shaking shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Give me just a moment," she whispered with a smile, an idea popping into her head. "I'll be back in a second."

She dashed over to her desk and grabbed her history notebook. With a quick nod, she pulled her desk chair back over to Ruby's side and sat down.

"There, now if you need anything, you won't have to get out of bed."

Ruby's lips curled into a shy smile, her cheeks flushing.

"Thank you for staying with me, Weiss," she breathed, her gaze focused on her white-haired partner. The unexpected, heartfelt gratitude made Weiss' heart skip a beat. She turned and coughed, her cheeks set ablaze.

"L-like I said," she stammered. "I'm ahead right now, so it's fine if I miss a class or two." She breathed deeply to collect herself and turned to her doe-eyed friend. "I just don't want any of you to fall behind in your studies."

"That's why you're the best partner ever!" Ruby cheered, unaware of the effect she was having on the blushing Schnee.

Weiss huffed in response, unable to hide the pleased smile dancing across her lips.

"I know you'd do the same for me, Ruby," she finally let out. With a wink and a playful smirk, she added, "Even if only to get out of class."

Ruby stuck her tongue out in indignation at the accusation.

"I'd do it for _you_!" she protested, puffing out her cheeks. Weiss could tell there was some truth to her previous assumption but waved it aside. She gently slid Ruby down onto her back and pulled her blanket over the brunette's shoulders.

"Alright, you need to rest so you can get better," she whispered. Ruby sat up on her elbows and opened her mouth to argue but managed little more than a squeak when Weiss took her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll be here if you need anything. I'll just be going over my notes."

"Fiiine," Ruby mumbled, letting out a defeated sigh. She slid back down off of her elbows and closed her eyes. Within moments, her breathing became heavy and rhythmic.

Out like a light. Weiss watched her chest rise and fall for a few seconds before humming in satisfaction, sitting back in her chair and opening her notebook.

* * *

A few hours passed before Weiss pushed her notebook aside in favor of her scroll. The time in the top right-hand corner of the screen read '4:00 PM." A sigh slipped past her lips. Blake and Yang should have been back almost half an hour ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by Ruby's quiet groans breaking the silence as she began to stir.

"Sleep well?" Weiss asked, setting her scroll on the bookshelf. Her lips settled into a polite smile as Ruby sat up and rubbed her eyes open.

"Mm…I don't feel much better," she grumbled. Weiss unconsciously furrowed her brow, her agitation with the absence of their two other teammates showing on her face. "Is something wrong?"

Weiss flinched, mentally kicking herself for letting Ruby worry about her.

"Blake and Yang should have been back nearly half an hour ago," she muttered, glancing over at the door. Noticing Ruby's lips droop, she flushed and frantically spat out, "N-not that I have anywhere to be!"

"You sure?" Ruby pressed. She shook her head and smiled. "Go do whatever it is you need to do. I'll just try to get some more sleep."

Weiss scooted to the edge of her chair and leaned forward with her hands on her knees.

"No," she protested, a frown tugging at her lips. "Ruby, I'm told you I would stay and get you anything you need." Her lips curled into a small smile as she took the brunette's hand. "I'm just surprised those two aren't back yet. Yang was really worried about you this morning."

Ruby squeezed her hand, attempting a grin before directing a cough behind her and shuddering.

"Are you still cold?" Weiss asked, her voice breaking with unrestrained concern. She focused her gaze squarely on the trembling girl.

Ruby cleared her throat and turned back to Weiss.

"Maybe just a little…" she mumbled.

Weiss' throat tightened as she watched Ruby shake under the blanket, her chest throbbing with worry before an idea popped into her head.

"Scoot over a little, Ruby," she breathed, gingerly placing a hand on her partner's shoulder.

Ruby gave her a puzzled look before complying, shifting over to the far side of Weiss' bed. Her face flushed as she watched Weiss climb in next to her, slipping under the covers. Their legs and shoulders brushed up against each other as Weiss settled in next to her.

"W-W-Weiss?" she sputtered. "What are you doing?"

Weiss leaned over and grabbed the notebook she left on the bookshelf, gripping it firmly to calm the nerves in her fingertips. She sat back against the headboard and turned her attention back to Ruby.

"You're cold, Ruby," she returned. "You need to stay warm or you won't get any better."

"But what if you get sick?" Ruby balked.

Weiss ignored the stunned expression directed at her, flipping open her notebook to pick up where she left off. They were learning about some mundane parts of Vale's history, but she wasn't about to start slacking now.

A few minutes passed in silence as she pored over her notes. She felt a shift in the bed's weight and her heart jumped to her throat when she felt Ruby's shoulder press against hers.

"Whatcha reading?" Ruby asked.

"I'm just going over my notes for Professor Oobleck's class," Weiss replied, fighting the blush in her cheeks. "J-just because I'm ahead doesn't mean that I can let myself fall behind."

Ruby happily "hmm"d in response as her eyes scanned the pages of Weiss' notebook. She leaned over and rested her head on the heiress' shoulder, earning an almost inaudible gasp as she marveled at the meticulously written notes.

"You have very pretty handwriting, Weiss," Ruby murmured. Weiss' cheeks turned a darker shade of red and she gave the compliment a quick nod of acknowledgement.

A content sigh slipped from Ruby's lips as she sank a little further into the bed. Weiss swallowed the lump in her throat and snuck a few glances her way, catching the shimmer of her silver eyes.

"Um…Weiss?" Ruby whispered. The sudden break in silence caused Weiss to start and she turned to face her.

"What's wrong, Ruby?" she pressed.

"Thank you for staying with me," Ruby beamed.

"You already said that, you dolt," Weiss giggled, a shy but pleased smile spreading across her lips.

"I mean it!" Ruby insisted. "I dunno what I'd do if you weren't here."

"You'd probably scour the school grounds for cookies and end up even sicker," Weiss teased.

"Probably!" Ruby agreed with a grin.

Silence fell over the pair again. Weiss shifted uncomfortably under Ruby's silvery gaze, the brunette's eyes roving over her features. Suddenly, Ruby wrapped her in a tight hug, burying her face into Weiss' shoulder.

"You're the best partner I could've ever asked for," she purred.

Weiss flushed at the compliment, her heart pounding harder in her chest.

"W-well, that was our deal, right?" she stammered. "I promised that I'd become the best partner ever."

Ruby nodded with a happy hum. Weiss drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes, pulling her teammate into a closer embrace. She let out a content sigh, enjoying the shared heat and ever-present scent of freshly picked roses. She threw a nervous glance over to the door. Yang would probably kill her if she saw them like this. Ruby giggled and lifted her head to look up at her.

"You think Yang got dragged out to dinner?" She sported her usual, dopey grin.

"That _would_ explain why they aren't back yet," Weiss huffed.

"How much you wanna bet they went to that new seafood place Blake has been going on and on about?" Ruby pressed in between giggles.

"Ruby Rose," Weiss began with a smirk, putting on an air of haughtiness, "I _refuse_ to believe that you have enough Lien to make a bet with a Schnee."

Her little display sent Ruby over the edge as the pair dissolved into laughter, squirming in each other's arms.

A few minutes passed. Weiss breathed heavily as their giggles died down and Ruby wiped the tears from her eyes. The smile on Ruby's face quickly vanished and she turned downward, growing uncharacteristically quiet. Their pulses softly thumped in rhythm with each other.

"Weiss?" Ruby finally whispered, looking up at her with uncertainty.

Concern began to eat at Weiss' chest, a sense of dread pounding in her head.

"Is something wrong?" She gently touched Ruby's arm.

"Isn't it funny?" Ruby shifted in Weiss' arms. "Like how Blake and Yang became partners? And now they're dating…" Her words trailed off into a nervous laugh. Weiss raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's surprising, I suppose," she remarked thoughtfully. She tilted her head. "Is something on your mind?"

"O-oh, uh…nothing, really…" Ruby mumbled. Weiss shot her another look, causing her to add, "I just wonder if it happens a lot."

"Who knows?" Weiss wondered. "But are you okay? You're squirming around a lot. Do you need something?"

Ruby shook her head, refusing to meet Weiss' eyes.

"Then what's got you so fidgety?" Weiss pressed, brushing a few stray strands of hair out of Ruby's face.

"Do you…like hanging out with me?" Ruby finally relented. Weiss felt the tension in her shoulders drop and she let out a soft chuckle. Ruby looked up at her curiously.

"Of course I do," she replied. "Ruby, we're teammates. More importantly, we're friends!" That last word left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, a feeling that only intensified when Ruby looked away.

"Right," she nodded. "Friends."

Another guilty pang of sadness stabbed at Weiss' heart. She brought a hand up to Ruby's chin and directed her silver eyes back to her own.

"Ruby Rose," she said with a firm but gentle tone, "what is bothering you so much? I know when you're hiding something from me and you look absolutely miserable."

"Weiss…" Ruby protested, trying in vain to turn away. Weiss locked eyes with her, drawing a heavy sigh out of her.

"Do you…do you think someone will ever look at me like that?" She chewed her lower lip. "Like how Blake and Yang look at each other?"

"Of course," Weiss returned without hesitation, receiving a surprised look from Ruby. "Ruby, you're the sweetest girl I've ever met. Always bursting with energy." She paused for a moment and felt a light burn in her cheeks. "And…you're the most beautiful girl I know."

The remark sparked a furious blush behind Ruby's cheeks, a few frazzled giggles escaping from her lips.

"I mean it," Weiss added, breaking into the smile that only Ruby ever saw. "Only a fool would think otherwise."

She stared into Ruby's wide eyes and felt her heart dance in her chest. Had she said too much? She searched her partner's expression for some kind of clue as to what she was thinking.

"Weiss," Ruby finally exhaled with a shy smile, "would you be upset if I want that someone…to be you?"

Weiss' mouth fell open. She tried to form a response, closing and opening her mouth several times, but the words never came. Ruby squirmed under her watch, stealing glances up at her.

"R-Ruby…"

She drew the girl's attention to her. She breathed in deeply, trying to calm the bundle of nerves strangling her heart. She took Ruby's hands and laced their fingers together.

"I couldn't be happier," she finished.

Ruby's eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears and she broke out into an enormous grin. She threw herself into Weiss, letting out a giddy cry into her neck. Weiss could hear her pulse pounding in her ears as she hesitantly ran her hand up and down Ruby's back.

"Weiss?" Ruby whispered excitedly, pulling back and locking eyes with her white-haired companion.

"Y-yes, Ruby?" Weiss returned, feeling a prickling sensation on her neck as the distance between them grew shorter and shorter.

"Can I kiss you?"

A response never came. Weiss closed her eyes and leaned forward, crossing the gap between them with a short, chaste kiss that sent electric sparks surging through her body. A content sigh slipped past her lips as she drew back, her eyes fluttering open to meet Ruby's yearning gaze. Her heartbeat raced in her chest.

"I'm going to get you so sick," Ruby breathed mischievously.

"It's okay," Weiss purred. Ruby's warm breath tickled her lips. "Your smile's always been so infectious."

Ruby let out a startled gasp as Weiss leaned forward and pressed another shy kiss to her lips. One after another, she rained kisses down on the brunette, her hands playing with the hem of Ruby's tank top. Ruby's fingers found themselves wrapped around Weiss' neck, running through her long locks of white hair.

Weiss pulled away slowly and Ruby followed her to steal a few more kisses as they broke apart. Their chests heaved in rhythm, the taste of Ruby's lips lingering on her own. Weiss gave her a bashful smile and rested her forehead against her blushing leader's.

"That was…incredible," she huffed between breaths. Ruby nodded, labored gasps passing between her parted lips.

Weiss brought her hands to Ruby's cheeks, savoring the warmth that engulfed her. Ruby laced her fingers with Weiss' and smiled.

"Stay with me…" she pleaded as her silver eyes began to flit shut.

Weiss moaned a soft "mhm" in response, her vision growing dark and blurry as the scent of roses whisked her away into a comfortable slumber.

* * *

The door rattled in its frame, waking Weiss with a start. Her eyes shot over to the source of the noise and alarms rang in her head. She patted Ruby on the shoulder, desperately trying to wake her up. The door swung open, revealing the missing half of Team RWBY.

"We're back!" Yang announced, stepping into the room with Blake at her side, their arms looped together. A paper bag hung from her free hand. Blake's lips curled into a playful smile.

"Are we interrupting something?" she teased.

The commotion stirred Ruby from her sleep. She sat up slowly, brushing up against Weiss' shoulder.

"Yang…is that you?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and blinking a few times.

"Woah!" Yang averted her eyes and let out a nervous chuckle. "H-hey, sis. Please tell me you have clothes on under there." She jabbed a finger in their direction.

Weiss flushed profusely and Ruby's eyes widened, darting back and forth between her older sister and Blake.

"W-wait, it's not what it looks like!" she cried, waving her hands frantically and scrambling out of bed to greet her sister.

"Thank goodness," Yang sighed, handing the paper bag to her girlfriend. She ran a hand through Ruby's hair with a grin. "You seem to be feeling better."

"Y-yeah, definitely," she sputtered, stealing an anxious glance back at Weiss.

Weiss dropped her eyes to the floor and shuffled out of her bed, timidly approached the brawler.

"I-I can explain," she stuttered, restlessly tugging at her nightgown.

"I can't believe it," Yang cut her off, drawing her attention upward. She grabbed Weiss' shoulder and beamed at her. "To think, Weiss Schnee has the hots for _my_ little sister!"

"W-wait, what?" The words fell out of Weiss' mouth, a fire lighting behind her cheeks. "You're not angry with me?"

"Not at all," Yang laughed.

Weiss shot a perplexed look at Ruby before meeting the blonde's lilac eyes.

"Why did you two take so long to come back?" she huffed, pushing down the nerves in her chest.

"We wanted to give you two some space," Yang answered. "Just in case, you know, things got a little hot and heavy."

"What?" Ruby shouted, taking a few steps forward. "You stayed out all day because you thought that…that W-Weiss and I…" Her voice trembled with a mixture of utter embarrassment and indignation.

"Woah, woah." Yang placed her hands on Ruby's shoulders. "It was Blake's idea, not mine!"

Weiss looked over at Blake. Her amber eyes narrowed ever so slightly in mirth.

"Yeah," she nodded, setting the paper bag down on Weiss' desk. "You were sending out some pretty obvious signals, Weiss." Her ears twitched. "Well, obvious to me, anyway."

"She told me about it on the way to class," Yang picked up. "We planned out a day away from the room so that you two could have some time alone." She scratched the back of her head. "So, how far _did_ you two go? You've still got your clothes on, so—"

"Y-Yang!" Ruby shrieked, her cheeks lighting up. "You're the worst!"

"H-hey, it's a big sister's job to embarrass her little sister!" Yang protested, dodging a couple swings from the brunette. She turned on to Weiss with an impish grin. "Did you kiss her?"

Weiss' eyes immediately hit the floor, her heart shooting up to her throat. She stole a nervous glance up at the rest of her team. Yang lifted Ruby up off her feet and wrapped her into a bone crushing hug.

"My baby sister just had her first kiss!" she cried. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Yaaang!" Ruby whined, struggling to break free. "Let go of me!"

"No can do!" Yang quipped, laughing and swinging her sister back and forth in her arms.

A gentle shoulder squeeze knocked Weiss out of her trance and turned her attention to Blake. The faunus mouthed a quick 'sorry' and stepped up to plant a kiss on Yang's cheek.

"Come on, Yang," she gently scolded. "Throwing your sister around like a ragdoll isn't going to make her feel any better."

"Alright, alright" Yang relented, stifling a chuckle. "Come on, Rubes. We brought you guys dinner. You can tell us all about your romantic day with Weiss while you eat."

Ruby puffed out her cheeks in defiance. As soon as her feet touched the floor, she dashed over to Weiss' side, a trail of rose petals fluttering in her wake. She wrapped her arms around Weiss' elbow, sticking her tongue at her older sister.

Yang raised and eyebrow and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, you two must be starving." She grabbed the bag from Weiss' desk and made her way over to the kitchenette with Blake in tow. "We went to that new place Blake's been dying to go to. You guys will love it!"

Weiss attempted to follow them, but Ruby's firm grasp on her arm kept her in place.

"Ruby?" Weiss turned to look at her flustered team leader, ignoring the nerves tingling in her chest.

Ruby's hands slipped from her arm and found their way into Weiss'. Her silver eyes locked with Weiss' own. Hesitation clouded her usually sparkling gaze.

"What's wrong?" Weiss took a step closer, brushing the back of Ruby's hands with her thumbs.

Ruby closed her eyes and leaned in quickly, pressing a kiss to Weiss' lips and pulling back just as quickly, giving her a shy smile.

"I'm so lucky to have you as my partner, Weiss," she breathed.

"I-I…" Weiss blushed profusely. "I'm the lucky one."

"Hey, you two!" Yang called out. "Quit kissing and get your butts over here before your food gets cold!"

The pair immediately jumped back from each other, their faces glowing bright red. Ruby shot Yang a dirty glare and sighed, running a hand through her hair.

Weiss shook her head and pushed down the nervous pit in her stomach. She offered her hand to Ruby with a gentle smile, locking fingers once more. As they made their way over to the other girls, she leaned over to the brunette's ear.

"If I'm sick tomorrow, you're taking care of me," she purred, sending a noticeable shiver through Ruby's body. She turned her silvery eyes on to her partner with a bashful smile and nodded.

"Deal."


	2. The Xiao Long School of Culinary Arts

"You want me…to teach you how to cook?"

Yang scratched the back of her head nervously, unsure of whether or not she had heard Blake correctly. They were lounging on the couch in each other's arms, passing the time with idle chatter and dinner suggestions when Blake made her request. She looked down at the pair of amber eyes peering up at her expectantly.

"Yes," Blake held, her ears flattening against her head. "Why? Is there something wrong with that?"

"N-no, no!" Yang sputtered. She cleared her throat and breathed an exasperated sigh, cursing herself for upsetting Blake. "I'm just wondering what made you bring it up all of a sudden."

Blake's eyes roved over Yang's face, narrowing ever so slightly. A blush lit up behind her cheeks and her ears twitched as she cast her gaze down to the floor.

"You always cook for me, Yang," she muttered, linking her fingers with Yang's. "I figured it would be nice if I could cook for you for a change. Let you relax a little."

A small smile danced across Yang's lips. She had taught herself how to cook back when she and Ruby were still children. _Someone_ had to keep the little sugar monster happy and healthy. Although, thinking about it, she never really considered teaching someone else how to cook. Now that the idea was on the table, she couldn't help but feel her heartbeat quicken with excitement.

"Okay," Yang replied with a nod. Blake's eyes lit up as Yang pulled her closer, planting a sweet kiss on her lips and drawing out a surprised gasp. Yang broke away slowly and gave her a mischievous wink.

"Welcome to the Xiao Long School of Culinary Arts!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Blake rolled her eyes, sinking into Yang's embrace and letting out a happy "mhmm."

"Okay, _Professor Xiao Long_ ," she teased, drawing out Yang's new title on her tongue with a subtle tinge of amusement in her tone. "Where do we start?"

Yang chuckled at Blake's remark and slid off the couch, stretching out her back with a few satisfying pops. A groan of relief rumbled in her throat as she offered her hand to Blake and hoisted her up onto her feet.

"Well," Yang began, wrapping her arms around Blake's waist," we need to decide on what we're gonna have, first. So, what sounds good for dinner?"

Blake rested her head against Yang's chest and considered the question for a moment.

"Hmm…I mean, fish is always nice," she offered.

"Of course," Yang laughed and combed her fingers through Blake's dark hair. "I don't know why I expected you to say anything else."

Blake's cheeks flushed at Yang's gesture and she turned and coughed.

"S-so…" she mumbled, fidgeting in Yang's embrace. "Could we make tuna?" She looked up at Yang earnestly. "Maybe with a vegetable or something?"

The look on her face absolutely melted Yang's heart. Her lips were curled into a shy smile and her ears flicked upward.

"S-sure," Yang returned, trying to ignore the waves of butterflies fluttering about in her chest. "We still have some tuna thawing in the fridge from the other day." Her eyes lit up. "Oh! And I picked up some broccoli from the market while I was visiting Ruby, so there's that too." Blake's lips parted to let a few excited breaths out. Yang beamed. "How does that sound, Kitten?"

Blake nodded her head a little more enthusiastically than she normally would. A hearty chuckle thundered in Yang's chest as she pulled Blake closer, bathing in their shared warmth for a few brief moments.

"Alright." She took Blake's hands and guided her into the kitchen. "First things first, we need to get the ingredients and cooking supplies out. We're going to make tuna steaks, so we'll need the fish, butter, oil, salt, and pepper. Some broccoli, too." She paused for a brief moment to glance at Blake. "We'll pan fry the tuna and steam the broccoli, so we'll need two pans, a pot, and the steamer." She gestured to the cabinet beneath the stove and clapped her hands together. "Oh! And we'll also need a spoon for scooping out the broccoli and some tongs for handling the tuna while it's cooking. Those should be in the drawer just above the pots and pans."

Blake shot her a dirty look.

"I know my way around _our_ kitchen, Yang," she grumbled, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Even if I'm not the one cooking."

Yang laughed and brushed the comment aside, going over what she said in her mind to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything.

"If you don't mind getting those out, I can get the rest," she finished.

Blake nodded and set about her task. Yang watched her briefly before turning and opening the fridge. She dug out the plastic-wrapped pieces of tuna they had leftover from a few nights ago. She set them on the counter beside her and retrieved a stick of butter and a head of broccoli, setting them down next to the fish and shutting the fridge with her foot. She walked over to the cabinet above the microwave and pulled out a bottle of olive oil, the salt shaker, and the pepper grinder, resting them on the counter behind the other ingredients. She directed her attention back to Blake and found her setting up the stove, placing the two frying pans on the front burners and a pot with the steamer inside on the back-right burner. Two tongs and a large, slotted spoon rested beside the stove. Blake met her gaze and trotted over, her eyes glimmering in anticipation.

Yang felt her heart jump up to her throat. Blake wasn't one to show a whole lot of emotion, usually adopting a cool, reserved demeanor. When she _did_ show emotion, she was either very upset or very excited. Seeing her so happy lit a fire in Yang's chest and she couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Okay," Yang nodded, taking stock of the ingredients and supplies they had laid out. "That should be everything. Let's wash up and get cooking!"

The pair thoroughly washed their hands in the kitchen sink, drying their hands with a spare dish towel before making their way over to the ingredients sitting on the counter.

"Alright," Yang began as Blake finished drying her hands. "First, we need to wash the broccoli and get rid of any dirt that might be stuck in it."

She picked up the head of broccoli and met Blake by the sink. She turned on the cool tap and held the broccoli under it.

"See? You want to gently massage it, like this," Yang demonstrated, running her hand over the surface of the broccoli. "Here," she nodded to Blake and handed her the head of broccoli.

Blake hesitantly placed the broccoli under the water and scrubbed its stalk and florets with her finger tips. She glanced back at Yang for some kind of feedback, earning a smile and a quick thumbs up. Yang tore off a few sheets of paper towel from the roll and handed them to Blake.

"Then you just pat it dry," she instructed.

As Blake continued cleaning and drying the broccoli, Yang opened a drawer beneath the counter and retrieved a sizable knife from inside, along with a wooden cutting board. Noticing that Blake had finished her task, Yang gestured for her to come over with her forefinger and tapped the cutting board with her knife.

"Next, we'll have you separate the florets from the stalk."

Blake set the head of broccoli down on the cutting board. Yang nodded and carefully held the knife out for her.

"Here, I'll show you where to cut it." She stood behind Blake and shifted her in front of the cutting board. "See where the florets branch out from the stalk?" Yang reached past Blake and pointed at one of the protruding stems. "Cut there, in between the stems and the stalk."

Blake did as she was told, furrowing her brow in concentration. Yang gently rested her hands on Blake's hips and let out a happy hum.

"You're so cute when you're serious, Blakey," she cooed.

Blake fumbled with the knife and let out a sharp gasp. She had nicked her finger with the tip of the blade, a droplet of blood growing from the cut. The warmth drained from Yang's face.

"A-ah, Blake!" she sputtered, jumping back. "I'm sorry! I'll go get you a bandage!"

Yang dashed down the hall from the kitchen and burst into the bathroom. She tore the cabinet open and frantically scanned its shelves for the bandages. Spotting the box, she quickly pulled one out and ran back out, only to find Blake waiting patiently while holding her hand. She smiled and held out her bleeding finger. Yang peeled the paper away from the bandage and carefully wrapped it around Blake's finger, prompting a pained flick of her cat ears.

"B-Blake," Yang choked on the bundle of guilty nerves creeping up her throat, the pinpricks of tears stinging her eyes. "I'm so, so sorry…I didn't mean to distract you—"

Blake pressed herself into Yang and cut her off with a deep kiss on the lips, running her hands up her sides and cupping her cheeks. She stroked Yang's cheek with her bandaged hand, tucking a few stray strands of blonde hair behind her ear.

"It's okay, Yang," she said softly, planting another kiss on Yang's nose for good measure. "Thank you."

Blake's lips lit a fire behind Yang's cheeks. Yang ran a hand through her hair and glanced away with a bashful smile. Blake always knew how to calm her down, even when Yang was the one causing problems.

Blake finished separating the florets from the stalk and cut them into manageable, bite-sized pieces. She turned to Yang and nodded.

"Okay, what's next?" she asked, setting the knife down on the cutting board.

"Right, okay." Yang removed the steamer from its pot and filled the pot about halfway with warm water. She placed it back on the stove and set the steamer inside. She turned on the back burner, setting the pot's lid down slightly ajar. "We need to let the water come to a boil before we can add the broccoli."

Blake watched her carefully and nodded frequently, probably taking mental notes of Yang's movements and verbal instructions. Yang stifled a chuckle and turned the burners on under the two frying pans.

"While we wait for the pans to heat up, let's prepare the fish," she said, at which Blake's ears perked up a little.

Yang removed the tuna steaks from their plastic wrap and placed them on the cutting board. She stole a couple glances at Blake, who was practically drooling over the fish.

"Hey, Blake" Yang tapped her shoulder, causing Blake to jump a little. She stood upright, her cheeks mildly flushing. Yang giggled and gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. "Pay attention, Kitten. Next, we're going to season the fish."

She pulled Blake over to the counter and wrapper her hand around Blake's waist. Blake eyed her curiously.

"So," Yang started, gesturing at the salt and pepper, "we'll just be using a little salt and pepper. Nothing fancy." She grabbed the salt shaker and tapped it over one of the tuna steaks. She then dusted it with a few twists of black pepper. "Just a little bit should do. We'll season both sides—" she patted the top of the fish before flipping it over and seasoning the other side, "—just like that, okay?"

Blake nodded and mimicked her actions, even including the gentle pats on each side of the fish. She turned her gaze to Yang, her amber eyes seeking her approval.

Yang had never seen Blake so eager to please. Blake did plenty out of the goodness of her heart, but she seemed particularly inclined to make Yang proud today. The little gesture tugged at Yang's heart.

"Blake…" Yang murmured. She drew Blake in close and pressed a hard kiss to her lips, a low, playful growl rumbling in her chest. "Why are you so darn cute?"

Blake blushed and looked down, shuffling a little closer to Yang and letting a giggle slip past her lips.

"What's next?" Blake asked, turning her head back up to meet Yang's eyes.

"We get cooking!" Yang cheered, a grin spreading across her lips in response to Blake's obvious annoyance with being teased. She retrieved a butter knife from a drawer under the counter and unwrapped the stick of butter. "We'll sear the fish with a little bit of butter and olive oil."

She cut a small pad of butter free from the stick and dropped it in her frying pan. She popped the lid off of the bottle of oil and drizzled some into the pan.

"Swirl it around and coat the pan evenly," Yang directed, doing just that as Blake repeated her movements. Letting out a satisfied "hmph," she continued, "Alright, now carefully place the fish in. Make sure you drop it away from you so you don't get splattered by the oil." Yang demonstrated, setting her fish in away from her and watching as Blake followed suit.

"We'll sear both sides for about a minute and a half each," Yang explained, gesturing at the time on the microwave's clock.

As if on cue, steam began to vent through the gap between the pot and its lid.

"Ah, good, the broccoli can go in now," Yang noted, removing the lid and dropping the broccoli in. As she reseated the lid, she added, "It should only take a minute or two longer than the tuna."

She glanced back at Blake. Blake's eyes darted from the microwave's clock back to her fish repeatedly and she bit her lower lip. Yang couldn't help but let a little "aww" slip out, squeezing Blake's shoulder. Blake shot her a nervous smile.

After a minute and a half passed, Yang grabbed the tongs and handed one to Blake. She carefully picked up her fish and flipped it over, nodding for Blake to do the same. Blake gently flipped her fish over and let out a soft gasp, marveling at the seared surface of the tuna.

"Yeah, just like that, Blake!" Yang shot her a radiant smile, prompting a blush to quickly rise to Blake's cheeks. She returned with a shy smile and leaned into Yang's shoulder, causing another burst of butterflies to dance around in Yang's chest.

"it smells so good, doesn't it?" Blake purred, rubbing her cheek gently against Yang's arm. "I hope it tastes good."

"I-I'm sure it will taste just fine, Kitten." Yang pressed a quick kiss to her ear.

Yang found herself focusing more on Blake than her cooking, the way she furrowed her brow when she concentrated, how her ears twitched with every sizzle and pop of the fish in her pan. Her amber eyes roved over its seared surface hungrily, a small, permanent smile fixated on her lips. This display was quite unlike the Blake she usually saw. Yang leaned into her, enjoying a bit of her warmth and the savory smells that filled the kitchen.

"…Yang, I think yours is burning!" Blake's voice knocked her out of her trance with a start.

Yang immediately turned off her burner and moved her pan to a cooler part of the stove, but the damage had already been done. She checked the underside of the fish. It was considerably darker than the other side. She sighed and shook her head.

"Aw man," Yang groaned. "I completely screwed that up. And here I was supposed to be teaching you how to cook…" She turned to Blake with a defeated smile. "Yours is still okay, right?"

"Y-yeah," Blake nodded, gesturing to her pan. "I turned off the burner as soon as time was up. I…I guess I was too focused on my own fish to realize you hadn't turned yours off…" Her ears flattened against her head apologetically.

"No worries, Kitten," Yang said, wrapping her arms around Blake. "That's all that matters." She reached down and turned off the broccoli's burner. "The broccoli should be ready, too. Go ahead and cut your tuna into strips. I'll get a bowl for the broccoli."

Yang made her way over to the cabinets next to the microwave, retrieving a wide bowl from inside. She set it on the counter next to the stove, picking up the large spoon Blake had set out earlier. She removed the pot's lid and let some of the steam dissipate before she scooped the broccoli into the bowl. She sprinkled some salt and pepper over the broccoli before cutting and dropping another pad of butter into the bowl. She wrapped the butter and placed it back in the fridge, picking up the bowl of broccoli and setting it in the middle of the small, wooden dining table just outside of the kitchen.

The gentle clang of the knife on the counter caught her attention and she returned to Blake's side. Blake had just finished slicing her tuna steak. The outside was beautifully crusted while the flesh inside had taken on a luscious shade of red: perfectly rare.

"Wow…" Yang struggled to find the right words. "Blake, that looks amazing!" Blake's ears perked up and she looked up at Yang, her cheeks flushing. "It's a shame mine didn't turn out so good," she laughed.

Blake's ears drooped a little as Yang cut into her own tuna. The inside of the fish looked the same as the outside: dry and flakey. She shrugged, snagging two plates from the cabinets by the microwave and handing one to Blake. The two carefully scraped their fish onto their plates. Yang pulled out a fork for each of them and handed one to Blake.

They made their way over to the dining table. Yang helped herself to a sizable portion of broccoli and offered the spoon to Blake while she sat down opposite of her. They briefly sat in silent anticipation before Yang stabbed at one her strips and took a bite out of it. Yup, flakey and dry, just like she thought. Her disappointment must have been pretty obvious, because she looked up at Blake and caught her eyes filling with concern.

"A-ah," Yang managed, swallowing her fish. "I can't believe I screwed up this badly while trying to help you." When Blake's gaze refused to shift, she playfully added, "Might have to close down the Xiao Long School of Culinary Arts, huh?"

Blake stood up with her plate and walked over to Yang's side of the table. Yang watched her suspiciously.

"Here, Yang," Blake said, tilting her plate a little. "Have some of mine."

As she went to push a few strips onto Yang's plate, Yang shook her head.

"N-no, that's fine, Blake," she stammered. "I'll be fine, promise. I don't want you to have to give up any of your tuna just because I made a dumb mistake. Besides, there's plenty of other things—"

"Yang," Blake insisted, holding her plate out towards her. "I…I want you to try my cooking." Her face was as red as the fish on her plate.

"O-oh…" Yang shoved down the nerves in her throat and fought back a blush. "In that case…th-thanks, Kitten…" She held out her plate and Blake happily slid a few strips of tuna onto it.

Blake returned to her place at the table and watched Yang breathlessly, her chin resting in her hands.

She wanted Yang to try it first.

Yang smiled nervously, picking up a piece of Blake's fish with her fork and sticking it in her mouth. A burst of salty, savory flavor washed over her tongue. It was juicy, tender, fishy (but in a good way), and just…amazing. Yang brought her attention back to Blake, whose amber eyes wavered with uncertainty. She was practically leaning over the table, waiting for a response.

"W-well?" Blake pressed.

"Blake…" Yang's jaw hung open in astonishment. "This…this is, like, the best thing I've ever tasted!" Blake's ears shot up in response and her eyes widened.

"R-really?" Blake could barely hide the excitement in her voice. She stabbed her own piece of fish and popped it into her mouth. A wave of pure bliss washed over her face as she savored the tuna's flavor, a delighted "mmm" escaping her lips.

"Man, you didn't need me to teach you anything!" Yang laughed. "You're way better than me!"

Blake blushed and furiously shook her head.

"Th-that's not true, Yang," she stuttered, though the soft purr tickling her words gave away her obvious pleasure with the compliment. "I just…got lucky, is all."

"Blakey!" Yang cried, leaning into the table. "Don't be so modest! You've got a real talent for this!"

Blake gave her a shy smile and bowed her head in appreciation.

The two finished their dinner over some lively chatter. Yang shared stories from her childhood with Ruby, like the time they made an absolute mess of the kitchen trying to bake cookies together. Blake responded with her own experiences with her parents back home in Menagerie. As they finished eating, they grabbed the dishes and silverware and put them in the sink, rinsing them out with a little water. Yang retrieved the pot, pans, knives, and tongs from the stove and scrubbed them under the running tap.

As they went about cleaning, Blake leaned into Yang's side and breathed a happy sigh.

"Yang," she whispered, "thank you so much for today."

"Of course, Kitten," Yang returned with a smile. "I'd love to do it again sometime." She placed a kiss between Blake's ears. "Maybe I'll actually keep an eye on my own food next time."

Blake let out a gentle laugh as they continued scrubbing away. They finished washing the dishes and set them out to dry, drying their hands with a spare towel. Yang turned to go lie down on the couch in the living room, but Blake grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to look at her. Yang let out a surprised yelp and wrapped her hands around Blake's waist for support, finding herself face to face with her.

Blake threw her arms tightly around Yang's neck, her amber eyes roving over Yang's face greedily.

"Yang…"

They locked eyes and stood in silence for a few brief moments before closing the gap between them, their lips meeting in the middle for a long, passionate kiss. The salty taste of the fish lingered on Blake's lips as Yang pressed her tongue past, twisting and dancing with Blake's. She ran her hands up and down Blake's sides. Blake pulled her in tighter, dragging her fingers through Yang's hair. A soft moan rumbled in Yang's throat as Blake pulled back. Yang followed her, nipping at her lower lip before resting their foreheads against each other, their cheeks flushed and breathing labored.

"Yang…" Blake purred between short gasps. "I love you so, so much…"

Yang smiled and gave Blake another sweet and chaste kiss. She breathed her reply against Blake's lips.

"I love you too, Blake."


	3. Cold and Sweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been sitting on this prompt for a while, but I hope you enjoy it! I want to write more, and will try my best to do so!

"It's finally Friday!"

Ruby's cheerful cry broke the usual morning silence in Team RWBY's dorm. Her feet hit the floor with a thud and her heavy footsteps creaked between the team's makeshift bunk beds. Yang grumbled a garbled retort as she lazily slid down from her top bunk, rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes as she accompanied a much more lucid Blake to the bathroom. Weiss, having already changed into her uniform and prepared for the day's classes, sat at her desk and idly flipped through news articles on her Scroll. She cocked an eyebrow and spared Ruby an irritated glance.

"It is," she confirmed. She pivoted in her chair to face Ruby and crossed her arms, displeased with the ruckus her partner was making at this early hour. Last night had proven to be anything but restful, and she was not in the mood for any of Ruby's antics.

"Weiss!" Ruby pouted, crossing the room and grabbing Weiss' shoulders. She bounced on her heels as she spoke. "That means it's date night!"

"Oh." Weiss blinked, and her frustration practically melted away. She took Ruby's hands to steady her and nodded. "It's your turn to come up with a riddle, right?"

'A game of riddles,' as Blake had called it, 'for lovelorn fools, by a lovelorn fool,' determined who would plan Ruby and Weiss' weekly dates. After the first few dates had passed quite miserably, Blake stepped in with a solution for the two, in spite of Weiss' protests. Unfortunately for her, if Ruby was on board, she would be swayed one way or another. That was simply how the pair worked. Weiss did have to give Blake credit though. Not a single date since they started playing her game had been dull, an impressive feat given that Ruby and Weiss had been going out for nearly two semesters.

"Yup!" Ruby chirped. "And I promise you that this one will be  _way_  harder than the last one!"

A small smile tugged at Weiss' lips as she rolled her eyes. Ruby's riddles were never particularly tricky to figure out. They either involved her insatiable love for sweets or her equally ravenous affection for tinkering with Crescent Rose. The answers came all too easily to Weiss.

"Okay," Weiss offered. "Go ahead, Ruby."

Ruby sported an impish grin. "What can be both cold and sweet…" She paused for dramatic effect, earning another eye roll. "…and is my favorite treat?"

"Really?" Weiss tried, and failed, to stifle her scoff. "The answer is  _obviously_  ice cream!"

Ruby tapped her chin emphatically before snickering and shaking her head.

"Wait—wha—" Weiss stumbled over her words. "What do you mean I'm  _wrong_?" she nearly shrieked. "What else could it possibly be?"

"That's for you to find out, Snowflake!" Ruby stuck out her tongue and mimed zipping her lips shut, trotting away to leave her partner dazed and confused.

Weiss simply stared her down, her mouth agape, as the rest of the team went through their morning routines. She racked her brain for any answer she could think of. Cold and sweet? Ice cream is the only cold confection she knew of, thanks in part to her distaste for sickening sweet treats. She chewed her bottom lip and sat on the thought until an unexpected touch drew her attention. She turned and found Blake standing beside her, fully dressed and textbooks in hand.

"It's time for class, Weiss," Blake gently coaxed, patting Weiss' shoulder and offering her a small smile before turning on her heel to join Yang in the hallway. Weiss dropped her Scroll into her bag along with her books and hurriedly followed her team out of their room, muttering a curse at the trail of red rose petals that led the way to their first class.

In contrast to the usual attentiveness Weiss prided herself on, Professor Port's less than modest recollections of his past 'exploits' were the last thing on her mind. How could she focus on class when Ruby, for the first time ever, managed to stump her with such a seemingly simple question?

Weiss set her jaw. What if Ruby had lied to her? What if the answer  _was_  ice cream, but Ruby simply said that it wasn't, anyway?

 _That's not Ruby_. Weiss scolded herself for thinking so lowly of her partner and girlfriend. Ruby was much too sweet to try to deceive Weiss, especially when dealing with their relationship. Bitter disappointment in herself bubbled in her chest as she stole an apologetic glance at Ruby.

The bell rang far too soon and broke Weiss' concentration. As she gathered her books, a gust of wind blew past her from the left. Brushing her tousled hair out of her face, a new trail of rose petals signaled Ruby's exit. Weiss frowned. Ruby was avoiding her.

She sighed and stood from her seat, following Blake and Yang to the line of students leaving the classroom. As they stepped out into the hallway, Weiss reached out and tugged on Yang's sleeve. Yang threw at glance at her over her shoulder.

"Could I talk with you two for a moment?" Weiss asked, almost timidly.

Yang eyed her curiously and stepped to the side of the classroom door, her right armed locked with Blake's left at the elbow. Weiss followed to allow the other students to pass.

"What's up, Princess?" Yang asked in her nonchalant tone.

"W-well," Weiss managed, nervously clearing her throat. "Ruby's got to be joking, right?" She furrowed her brow. "I mean, what else could it possibly be?"

Yang looked a little lost. "Joking about…?"

"Oh," Blake spoke up, her bow twitching ever so slightly. "'What can be both cold and sweet, and is my favorite treat?'" She paused, looking to Weiss for confirmation. "That's what Ruby asked you earlier, right?"

"Ohh," Yang laughed. "You mean that little game of yours?" Weiss' flustered retort did little to stop Yang's teasing. "My baby sister's got you stumped!"

Blake gently dug her elbow into Yang's side, prompting a startled yelp from Yang. "Well, you already said, ice cream, right?"

"Yes," Weiss nodded. "That's wrong, though." She sighed. "But what else could it be? Ruby might have a sweet tooth that could kill a Nevermore, but she doesn't have the most refined taste. Anything else I can think of wouldn't make sense. I doubt Ruby's ever been to any Atlesian parties."

Yang gingerly rubbed her side and shot Blake a dirty look. "Well, she did say 'can,' right? Maybe it isn't always cold. Or maybe it can be either savory or sweet."

Weiss blinked. "I…suppose that's a good point, Yang." She immediately regretted offering the big of praise when a smug grin plastered itself across Yang's face.

"Oh my!" she gasped. "Praise from Weiss Schnee? Hold me Blake, I think I might faint!" She fanned herself dramatically.

Blake rolled her eyes and shook her head. She looked at Weiss briefly, something flashing behind her amber eyes, before rolling up onto her tiptoes and whispering in Yang's ear.

Yang dropped the act almost immediately and gave Blake an incredulous look. Her eyes darted between Blake and Weiss before she snickered and nodded.

"What?" Weiss asked, shifting onto her right leg. "What's so funny?"

Before Yang could even open her mouth, Blake stepped forward. "We're going to be late to class, Weiss." She smiled coolly. "We should get going."

"Shoot!" Weiss gasped. "You're right! Sorry!"

The three of them hurriedly brushed past the last stragglers from Professor Port's class and followed Ruby's petal trail to their next class.

The rest of their lectures were little more than dull buzzing in Weiss' ears as the day lazily drifted by. She occasionally stole glances at Ruby, wondering if she could glean anything from her all too expressive partner. Much to Weiss' surprise, Ruby looked more focused on her classes than she ever did. Perhaps it was a way of distracting herself so as to not give Weiss any hints. Not that Weiss was psychic, of course. Try as she might, merely looking at Ruby would not give Weiss any answers. On what must have been the sixth time Weiss had peeked at Ruby during Professor Oobleck's class, her heat skipped a beat when she found Ruby's silver eyes staring back at her. A small, playful grin crept onto Ruby's lips, and Weiss promptly shoved her face back into the open textbook in front of her. She begged whatever higher being there was to let Ruby forget what just happened. When she looked up again, Ruby had turned her attention back to the front of the classroom, seemingly satisfied with having caught Weiss staring at her.

The last bell of the day finally rang. Weiss groaned and stood from her seat. In contrast to her behavior throughout the day, Ruby didn't bolt ahead of her team this time. Rather, she leisurely strolled to the classroom's door and made her way into the hallway, followed shortly by Blake and Yang. Weiss gathered her books and followed them from a distance, keeping her pace slow but not noticeably so. Time was quickly running out and she still had no answer for Ruby.

Ruby opened their room's door for Blake and Yang and watched them enter the room. She smiled as Weiss approached, a smile that wouldn't betray even a hint of mischief that may lie beneath the surface. Weiss swallowed her nerves and glued her eyes to floor as she shuffled in past Ruby. Weiss dropped her books on her desk unceremoniously and sat down, nervously watching Ruby as she returned her books to her own desk.

Yang flopped onto Blake's bed. "Ugh…Oobleck  _never_  shuts up!" she grumbled, burying her face into Blake's bed sheets.

"It could be worse." Blake sat down beside Yang and gently massaged her back. "At least he didn't hand out that much homework."

"Yeah, right." Yang popped her head back up. "If it were up to him, I don't think we'd have enough time to go to any of our other classes." After no rebuttal came, she laughed, "What, no comment, Weiss?"

"Please," Weiss muttered. She busied herself with tidying the little messy bits of her desk that she could find. " _Someone_  has been a nuisance all day. I'm surprised I even managed to write down our assignments."

"Aw!" Ruby grinned and leaned on Weiss' desk, getting a bit closer than Weiss was comfortable with. "Do you really think I'm that cute?"

Weiss' face burned bright red. Where was all of this confidence coming from? Did Ruby inherit the same Xiao Long flirting gene or something?

"I-in your dreams!" she sputtered, cursing herself for letting Ruby get the upper hand. She gave Ruby a gentle shove, drawing a sugary laugh out of her partner, complemented by Yang's stifled snickering. Blake watched in earnest.

"Sooo…" Ruby whistled nonchalantly, taking a few steps toward Weiss. "Did you figure it out, Snowflake?"

There it was. All eyes were on her, and Weiss felt herself shrink under her team's gaze.

"W-well…" She rubbed her elbow, her usual confidence absent from her tone. "You said it  _can_  be both cold and sweet, but it doesn't have to be both, right?"

"Sorry, Weiss, but you're not getting any hints out of me!" Ruby giggled, bouncing on her heels and leaning forward expectantly. "Final answer?"

"I…" Weiss dropped her head with a sigh. "I don't know, Ruby. I can't think of anything else."

Yang coughed in an attempt to stifle a laugh, catching Weiss' attention. She turned to look at the pair on Blake's bed. Yang's face was surprisingly red, while Blake wore the sort of empty, blank smile she defaulted to.

"What's so funny?" Weiss huffed, crossing her arms.

Ruby crossed the gap between them and took Weiss' hands. Her snarky grin was replaced with a bashful and goofy smile. "The answer…is you!"

Weiss froze stock-still, her mind rushing to process what Ruby had just said. Her heart pounded in her ears and it felt as though a cage of butterflies had been released in her chest.

"Um…W-Weiss?" Ruby broke the silence, fidgeting and playing with Weiss' fingers.

"I think you broke her, Ruby," Yang chimed in, followed shortly by a startled yelp as Blake prodded her back and hushed her.

"M-me?" Weiss finally spoke, her face rapidly turning a luscious shade of red that matched Ruby's cloak. "Cold and sweet…? Your favorite  _treat_?" Her eyes widened. "Ruby!" she practically screamed, batting her partner away.

Ruby dashed away with a giddy squeal, leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake. Her head popped up from behind Blake and Yang. "Told you it wouldn't be so easy!"

Weiss grumbled and dropped her gaze to the two in front of Ruby. Yang avoided eye contact and Blake maintained the same 'innocent' smile on her face that she held before. Weiss narrowed her eyes.

"You  _knew_!" she accused.

Yang dropped her defenses and burst into laughter, and Blake's bow twitched as she straightened herself to speak.

"I'm surprised Yang didn't give it away earlier," she said.

"Phew…" Yang coughed and tried to catch her breath, running a hand through her hair. "You've got to admit, though…it's pretty accurate."

"I am  _not_  cold!" Weiss protested.

"Not always," Yang clarified.

Weiss groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. Yang had easily picked up on all the different ways to get on her nerves during their first month at Beacon. She argued that she was obligated to make Weiss' life just a little harder, especially since she had, in her own words, 'graciously accepted her' as Ruby's girlfriend.

Ruby hopped down from Blake's bed and smiled apologetically, pulling Weiss into a tight hug. Weiss tried to maintain her frustration, but it proved fruitless as she breathed a content sigh and melted into Ruby's warmth.

Yang rested her chin in her hands. "See?"

Weiss ignored her, choosing instead to hesitantly meet Ruby's eyes. "You mean it?"

A shy glow of pink burned in Ruby's cheeks. "Of course," she said, bringing a hand to Weiss' cheek and brushing her thumb across Weiss' scar. "Every second spent with you is worth more than anything. No amount of ice cream, cookies, or cake could ever change that."

Weiss leaned into Ruby, burying her face into her neck. She wrapped her arms around Ruby and hugged her tighter, unable to quell her trembling as her breath caught in her throat. Ruby combed her fingers through Weiss' hair soothingly, loosening and unraveling her ponytail.

"Aww," Yang cooed. "Isn't that just precious, Blake?"

Blake simply laughed and nodded.

Weiss shot them an irritated glare, her voice muffled in Ruby's shoulder. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Uh, last I checked, this is  _our_  room," Yang said.

Weiss rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Ruby. "Well, I lost. What do you want to do tonight?"

"Oh!" Ruby's eyes lit up. "I want to go to the new bakery down in the plaza! You know which one I mean, right?" She grinned. "I want to try all the stuff on their menu."

"I thought you said I was more important than any sweet in the world." Weiss feigned a hurt look.

"Y-you are!" Ruby sputtered. "Weiss, you  _so_  are! But rules are rules, right?"

"I know, Ruby." Weiss smiled. "Promise you won't get sick this time?"

Ruby puffed out her cheeks.  _Cute_. "It was just that one time!"

Weiss breathed a sarcastic "Mhm." She pulled her head back and rested her hands on Ruby's neck. "Let me change out of my uniform. You should get dressed, too."

Ruby nodded and skipped over to the team's closet, humming excitedly. She ditched her Beacon uniform and threw on a black t-shirt with a Grimm design on it and some jeans. Weiss did her best not to stare for  _too_  long while she changed.

Yang cleared her throat, causing Weiss to flinch. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't ogle my baby sister, Weiss."

Weiss blushed and apologetically bowed her head toward Ruby. Ruby snickered and pulled a red sweatshirt over her head.

Weiss stepped up behind her and ran her fingers through Ruby's messy red hair. She reached past her and pulled out her own black sweater and a pair of white slacks. She changed as quickly as she could, ignoring the disgruntled grumbling Yang threw her way.

After tidying her outfit and tying her hair back up, Weiss retrieved her wallet and Scroll from her desk. "Ready?" she asked, turning to face Ruby.

Ruby pocketed her Scroll and nodded. "You bet!" She dashed over to Weiss and slipped her arm around Weiss' waist, earning a soft squeak in response.

"Little handsy there, aren't you Rubes?" Yang teased.

"I swear!" Ruby whined. "You're worse than dad!"

"Maybe," Yang laughed. "But go on! Get out of here, go have fun!"

Ruby grumbled and led Weiss out of their dorm and toward Beacon's airstrip.

The pair took an air shuttle from Beacon to a little suburban plaza just outside of the city. Clothing stores, weapon shops, dust shops, pubs, and cafes lined its brick streets. As expected on a Friday night, the outdoor shopping center buzzed with life. People chattered away without a care in the world, passing from shop to shop and enjoying the cool autumn afternoon.

Just a short walk from the landing pad, next to one of Ruby's favorite parts shops, waited a bakery that Weiss did not recognize: 'Little Menagerie.'

Ruby squeezed her hand. "There it is!" Weiss nearly tripped as Ruby practically dragged her into the little shop, a wave of warmth washing over her as they stepped through the door. A brown-haired Faunus with dog ears stood behind the glass counter that advertised the bakery's selection for the day.

"Welcome!" She flashed the pair a big smile.

Ruby returned the smile and looked at Weiss. "You wanna go pick a table while I order?"

"Sure," Weiss nodded. She scanned the shop and sat down at a table next to one of the large windows at the front. She peered over her shoulder, watching Ruby's animated gestures as she, Weiss assumed, assured the poor girl behind the counter that they were indeed ordering one of every baked good on the menu. Ruby shot a glance at Weiss and leaned in to whisper something to the girl taking her order. A small pinprick of jealousy stabbed at Weiss' chest, though it disappeared just as quickly as it arrived. The girl nodded vigorously and thanked Ruby, turning to assemble their order. Ruby made her way over to the table and sat across from Weiss.

"And what was  _that_?" Weiss demanded.

"W-what?" Ruby coughed. "Whatever could you mean, my  _lovely_ ,  _wonderful_  girlfriend?"

Though the terms of endearment sent Weiss' heart into the stratosphere, she wouldn't let it show on her face. "Ruby Rose, did you play the Schnee card?"

Ruby's eyes glistened and she stuck her lower lip out. "Weiss," she whimpered, "do you really think I'd take advantage of your family name for something like cakes and cookies?"

"Yes." Weiss leaned forward in her chair. "You do it all the time, Ruby."

Ruby's façade cracked and a grin spread across her lips. "Okaaay, you caught me." She threw her hands up in surrender. "But you've never told me to stop!"

Weiss' expression softened and she sighed. She settled her hand on the table and tapper her fingers gently on its wooden surface, watching people pass by the shop's window. She jumped a little when she felt Ruby take her hand. Her fingers were rough and calloused from tinkering with and using Crescent Rose. She ran her thumb across' Weiss' knuckles and looked at her, almost like a puppy.

Weiss' heart pounded in her chest. Thankfully, the shopkeeper arrived with their order and broke their contact. She placed two trays of assorted cakes, cookies, pastries, and pies on their table. She also handed a glass of milk to Ruby and a cup of coffee to Weiss.

"Thank you!" Ruby cheered. Weiss pursed her lips and echoed Ruby's thanks.

The shopkeeper smiled and nodded before scurrying back to her post at the front of the store.

Ruby beamed at Weiss. "What should we try first?"

Weiss' heart sank. She had mentally prepared for the task laid out before her, but physically? She wasn't so sure. Ruby would be devastated if she didn't try everything at least once, so she picked up her mug and sipped her coffee to calm her nerves.

After weighing in her options, Weiss pointed at a slice of lemon raspberry cake. "How about this one?"

Ruby nodded and picked up her fork. Weiss retrieved her own fork and sliced off a small piece of the cake for herself. Before she could bring it to her lips, Ruby extended a small piece of the cake to Weiss, smiling expectantly.

"Here, Weiss!" she offered.

A small fire lit behind Weiss' cheeks. Was Ruby trying to feed her? She timidly accepted the cake from Ruby, savoring its tartness before extending her own fork to Ruby.

"H-here, Ruby," she stammered.

Ruby happily chomped down on the cake and let out a pleased giggle. "It's super yummy, isn't it?"

Weiss nodded quickly, willing the blush in her cheeks to simmer down.

"My turn!" Ruby scanned their options for a few moments. "Hmm…How about this one?" She pointed at a slice of strawberry cheesecake. She cut and offered a small piece of it to Weiss.

Whatever progress Weiss had made with taming her flushed face was lost. Were they really going to feed each other the entire time? She steadied herself and bit down on the cake, almost reeling from the richness of the cream cheese. She drank some coffee to wash it down. Ruby watched excitedly as she stabbed at a small piece and held it out for her. Weiss could have sworn there was a little bit of pink rising in Ruby's cheeks. Ruby accepted the piece of cake with a happy "Mmm!"

Their exchanges continued until they had worked through five different slices of cake, two mini pies, four cookies, and three pastries. The unusually high amount of sugar in her system sent jitters through Weiss' body. She finished her cup of coffee and cursed herself for not asking Ruby to order decaf. Ruby finished her glass of milk and leaned back in her chair as the shopkeeper approached them.

"Can I get you two anything else tonight?" she asked.

"No, thanks!" Ruby replied.

Weiss groaned and pulled out her wallet and handed the woman her card. She retreated to the register and returned with the card and a receipt a few moments later.

"Thank you for coming! Have a nice evening!" She bowed her head and left them.

Weiss returned her card to her wallet and sluggishly rose to her feet. Ruby stood and helped steady Weiss, placing her hand on Weiss' waist.

"Too much?" Ruby smiled apologetically.

Weiss grumbled and leaned into Ruby as they stepped outside. The sun had settled low in the sky, casting an orange glow across the plaza. Weiss stumbled a little as they made their way down the street.

"Be careful, Weiss!" Ruby balanced her and pulled her closer. "Are you okay?"

"Way too much sugar," Weiss complained.

Ruby gently rubbed Weiss' back. "Do you want to go for a walk before we head back? The park isn't too far away."

Weiss rested her head on Ruby's shoulder, breathing in her rosy fragrance and exhaling a shaky "Mhm."

Ruby smiled and the two made their way toward the park. It was only a few blocks away from the bakery and, thankfully, the streets had mostly cleared out at this point. Weiss counted the number of couples she saw on the street as they passed by, walking together just like she and Ruby did.

That thought stuck with her for a moment.  _A couple_. She and Ruby were a couple. Girlfriends. Anyone would be hard-pressed to try to say that they didn't look like a couple. She wondered if it was really okay for them to be out together like this. After all, it was pretty obvious from the way she looked and dressed that Weiss was a Schnee.

Her mind wandered back to when they had first started dating. Weiss had been quick to list off the 'consequences' of being seen together in public. She told Ruby that rumors would be spread and their privacy would be of little concern to most people. On top of that, she was certain that her father would never approve of their relationship. She expressed her concern over involving Ruby in a relationship that would result in a great deal of hardship. However, before she could keep digging herself into a deeper hole, Ruby cut her off.

" _What are you saying?" Ruby asked, her lips pulled into a frown._

" _What I'm saying is that dating me is nothing but trouble," Weiss sighed. "The 'perks' of a Schnee aren't everything they're cracked up to be, Ruby. People will talk. They'll say things about us behind our backs. About you."_

" _But I like you, Weiss." Ruby leaned against the dorm's bookshelf. "That's all that matters. I don't care if people are going to say things. Let them!" She cast her gaze to the floor. "They're probably just jealous that_ Weiss Schnee _is going out with some country bumpkin from Patch." She laughed. "I can hear them now. 'What is she doing with_ that _girl?'"_

_Weiss didn't expect that answer. She openly stared at Ruby for a few moments, but as quickly as her surprise came, it was just as soon replaced with anger._

" _Some country bumpkin…?" she echoed. The sharpness of her tone surprised herself, and it caught Ruby's attention, too. Her silver eyes wavered uncertainly._

"Ruby Rose _, you are so much more than that!" Weiss barked. "You're far more intelligent than you give yourself credit for. You skipped two years of combat school! Sure, you got caught up with Torchwick, but I highly doubt Professor Ozpin let you enroll at Beacon on that merit alone." She paused, catching her breath. "Furthermore, I don't know anyone with as much technical skill and knowledge as you. That includes the scientists and techs employed by the Schnee Dust Company." Her voice caught in her throat. "Ruby…you're so much more!" She hadn't noticed it before, but she was crying. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled._

_Ruby just stood and stared. Her lips moved, but nothing came out. She looked like she wanted to say something, but was unable to find the words._

_Weiss shook her head, breathing shakily. "Just…maybe we—"_

_Before she could continue, she was stunned into silence by Ruby's unexpected embrace. Ruby buried her face into Weiss' shoulder, her arms tight around her slender frame._

" _Please…" Ruby begged. "Weiss, please don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you."_

_She sounded absolutely heartbroken, and it tore Weiss to shreds. Weiss pulled back a little and cradled Ruby's head in her hands. A shimmering veil of tears disturbed her silver eyes._

" _Then…" Weiss managed, "…don't you_ ever  _say that again." She breathed deeply to compose herself before smiling through her tears. "You're so much more than that, Ruby Rose."_

_Ruby pursed her lips in thought and brought a hand to the back of Weiss' neck. Her touch sent exciting jolts of electricity down Weiss' spine._

_After a few tense moments, Weiss spoke again, "You asked me why I asked you to go out with me." She swallowed the bundle of nerves in her throat. "It's because you look at me and see Weiss. Not a Schnee. You see your partner. Your friend. You treat me like you would anyone else." She smiled. "That's a luxury that I could never buy, no matter how much Lien I have. So…please, don't start treating me differently now."_

_Ruby chewed her lower lip. "I guess…but, Weiss—"_

_Weiss pressed a finger to Ruby's lips and set her jaw. "Stop." She traced her finger from Ruby's lips to her cheek, fighting back the blush rising from her boldness. "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me you don't deserve this. If you can do that, then I guess that's that." The words stabbed at her heart, but she refused to back down._

" _Weiss…I-I can't just…" Ruby stumbled over her words._

" _Then tell me you didn't mean it," Weiss returned._

_The distance between them was tantalizingly short._

_Ruby sighed and rested her forehead against Weiss'. "I…didn't mean it, Weiss." She gave a half-hearted chuckle. "I'm just still in shock, I guess. Never thought I'd end up dating the girl I blew up on the first day of school."_

_The space between them felt warm._

_Weiss smiled and tucked a few errant strands of red hair behind Ruby's ear. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Ruby." Her eyes lingered on Ruby's lips._

_Ruby raised her hand to cup Weiss' cheek. Her eyelids drooped._

" _Weiss…can I…Weiss…Weiss…"_

"Weiss, we're here," Ruby said, pulling Weiss back to the present.

Weiss blinked and found them standing at the entrance to the little park they often visited on their days off. A small fountain stood in the center of the narrow stone path that snaked ahead of them around various plants and disappeared behind rows of towering maple trees.

The park was mostly empty, save for an elderly couple who sat at a bench by the fountain and two mothers who watched as their child busied themselves at the playset. They cheered on their little girl as she swung from bar to bar, landing with a triumphant giggle as she made it to the other side.

The scene warmed Weiss' heart as she followed Ruby's lead. She stuck close to Ruby's side, resting her head on Ruby's shoulder as they ventured deeper into the park.

"Sure is nice tonight, huh?" Ruby hummed.

Weiss simply breathed a soft "Mhm."

Ruby rested her head atop Weiss'. She spoke quietly, "Feeling any better?"

"A little…" Weiss mumbled.

They came to a stop. Weiss looked at Ruby curiously. Ruby smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Weiss." She laughed nervously. "If anyone's gonna be sick, it might be you."

Weiss feigned irritation. "Don't apologize to  _me_. You asked to go there and had fun, right? That's all that matters."

Ruby ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. "I mean…yeah, that's true, I guess."

"You guess?" Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "I appreciate your concern, Ruby. It's sweet. But I promise I'm okay. I had fun, too." Well, she said she was fine, at least.

Ruby smiled, seemingly satisfied with the response, and the pair continued walking down the path, idly chatting along the way.

"You know," Ruby started, "winter break is coming up. You and Blake should totally come stay with Yang and I in Patch. I know it's not as fancy as you're used to, but…well, you know. I think my dad would love you guys!" She grinned.

"Sure, Ruby, I'd love to cause an international incident." Before Ruby could respond, Weiss put a hand up. "Yes, my father  _would_  do something to that effect if I was not home over break."

"Jerk," Ruby mumbled. "You should do it anyway. If he comes for you, we can send him packing. I'm  _pretty sure_  we could take him on."

"As much as I appreciate your offer, I don't think I want to spend our dates separated by a glass window while you serve out your sentence," Weiss replied.

Ruby grumbled and leaned into Weiss. "Please?" She flashed her irresistible puppy dog eyes.

Weiss hated how easily Ruby could win her over. "…I'll think about it, okay?" she offered. "No promise, though."

Ruby nodded enthusiastically and clung tightly to Weiss. Even if it was next to impossible to make that happen, Weiss would certainly look into it. There was not enough Lien in the world to stop Weiss from wanting to visit Ruby's home.

Little time had passed before dusk turned to night. The lampposts lining the pathway lit up, casting the trees in a warm, yellow glow. A sharp gust of wind picked up, pushing past the pair and sending chills through Weiss' body, catching Ruby's attention.

"It's getting pretty late, isn't it?" Ruby looked at her Scroll. "We should probably head back." She pocketed her Scroll and turned to head back, but Weiss didn't move. Ruby looked at her and furrowed her brow. "Um…Weiss? Is something wrong?"

No response came for a few brief moments. Then, Weiss stepped towards Ruby, catching her off guard. She planted her hands on Ruby's shoulders and rolled up onto her tiptoes, planting a firm kiss to Ruby's lips. Ruby let out a startled squeak, stumbling backwards and throwing her arms around Weiss to keep her balance.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds. Weiss fell back to her heels and dug her fingers into Ruby's shoulders.

"Uh…" Ruby stared at her, her eyes wide. "W-Weiss? I-I, um—"

"You're my f-favorite treat, too, Ruby," Weiss sputtered. Her cheeks felt warm after she said it, but being alone with Ruby gave her the luxury of letting her guard down.

Ruby's mouth hung open, and she managed little more than a soft "O-oh?" in return.

Weiss searched Ruby's eyes for some inkling of how she felt. The silver in her eyes shone brighter than she could ever recall. She snaked her arms around Ruby's neck, drawing her closer. Ruby clumsily settled her hands on Weiss' waist.

"Ruby Rose," Weiss began, pushing down the tension in her chest, "you are my everything. Before I met you, I was driven by nothing but selfish ideations of perfection. I did what I did because I believed it was expected of me. It was what I was told it meant to be a Schnee." She paused to steady her breathing. "Then, you came along. You knocked over my luggage, blew us both up, babbled like a complete idiot, nearly got us killed during our initiation, and took what I thought was my spot as team leader. And yet…" She smiled and tilted her head. "You've captured my heart. You gave me something to strive for. You became the person I want to impress. Someone I want to make proud."

Ruby's lower lip trembled. It took every ounce of self-control in her being to stop Weiss from kissing her again. She closed her eyes and rested her head under Ruby's chin.

"You're the best thing that has ever happened to me," she finished simply.

Ruby sniffled and laughed softly. "I-I feel the same way, Weiss."

Weiss pulled back slowly and locked eyes with Ruby. "In other words…" She breathed.

"I love you, Ruby."

Ruby's eyes widened. She stared quietly at Weiss, her lips quivering into a small smile. The sight of her partner's growing smile unleashed a wave of butterflies in Weiss' chest. She could only hope she knew what would come next.

Ruby pulled Weiss into a tight embrace. "I love you, too!" she cried.

There it was. That short, little sentence Weiss wanted to say for months, the little sentence that Weiss wanted to hear back. She clung to Ruby to contain her excitement, though it did little to stop the mixture of laughing and crying she fell into as she buried her face into Ruby's shoulder, soaking her sweatshirt with tears. Ruby ran her hands up and down Weiss' back, sniffling unashamedly.

Weiss steadied herself and lifted her head, meeting Ruby's now red and puffy eyes. "I love you, my precious Rose Petal…"

A soft gasp broke past Ruby's lips. Weiss had never been one for pet names. She barely tolerated Yang's use of 'Princess' and took plenty of time to get used to hearing Ruby call her 'Snowflake.' But here she was, calling Ruby her 'Rose Petal' without hesitation. Ruby pulled Weiss back into her, resting her cheek on top of her head.

"I love you, too, Weiss…" Ruby repeated. She pulled back and tilted Weiss' chin up to place a chaste kiss on her lips. An excited giggle tickled Weiss' throat as she returned the kiss, combing her fingers through Ruby's hair. Ruby slowly broke the kiss and smiled. "Weiss…" she whispered. "Weiss…"

Weiss brought her hands to Ruby's face and mirrored her smile. "I'm here, Ruby. I'm here." She pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll always be here." She kissed Ruby's nose.

Ruby giggled and sniffed. "I love you…so much…"

Weiss rested her head under Ruby's chin. "I love you, too," she whispered. She didn't care how many times she had to say it. They had plenty of time. She breathed deeply, releasing a content sigh as she savored Ruby's warmth and the scent of fresh roses that clung to every inch of her skin. She could spend the rest of her life like this.

Unfortunately, life had other plans. Another bitter wind brushed past. Weiss shuddered and huddled closer to Ruby. She sighed and tilted her head upward, placing daring kisses on Ruby's jaw. Ruby squeaked, tightening her hold.

"Shall we return?" Weiss whispered, punctuating each word with a light, airy kiss on Ruby's neck.

Ruby shuddered at Weiss' touch. "Y-yeah…" she breathed. Her cheeks burned hot red as she composed herself. "I-I mean, yeah! Let's go, Weiss!" She took Weiss' hand and led her back toward the park's entrance.

Weiss laughed and matched Ruby's pace, wrapping her arms around Ruby's elbow. "You're unbelievably cute."

"A-am I?" Ruby sputtered, stumbling over a loose stone in the path. After regaining her balance, she slowed down.

"Very cute," Weiss affirmed. She rested her head on Ruby's shoulder. "Should I text Blake and Yang to let them know that we'll be back shortly?"

"Oh…" Ruby groaned. "Yeah. Hopefully they get it this time…" She shuddered at the thought of walking in on them again. "Blech."

Weiss giggled and pulled out her Scroll to send them the message. "Well, if they don't, I guess we'll have to teach them a lesson, won't we?"

Ruby grinned. "You bet!"


End file.
